Bury Your Flame
by SureAspen
Summary: Sakura has a happy life with Sasuke- or at least, she appears to. A certain silver-haired nin notices that something is up and makes efforts to step in.
1. We Can Blame It On Our Hands

**Author's Note: I don't own Naruto obvi**

 **So I just noticed a really stupid and obvious time error but then I remembered that this is fanfiction and I can do whatever I want LOL so for my purposes Sarada is several years older than Boruto and company. Anyways that's it**

* * *

Throwing open the curtains to her bedroom window overlooking her backyard, she smiled as she saw Sarada already out, training hard as she flung kunai at the training dummy Sasuke had set up for her. Still smiling, she meandered into the kitchen, giving a luxurious stretch as she walked, both arms raised above her head as she arched her back. Sakura was mid-noise of satisfaction when her reprieve was interrupted.

"Taking it easy, I see," came the slow drawl of a very bored, very confident raven-haired man, a smile blooming across his face as he watched his wife get thrown into a frenzy at his surprise arrival.

"I had no idea you would be home so soon!" the kunoichi squealed, throwing her arms around Sarada's father's neck and planting a big dramatic kiss firmly on his lips. "I'm so happy to see you, you're never home anymore!" The remark was made offhandedly, she knew he was busy, but Sasuke's expression darkened nonetheless, although she didn't catch it.  
"Yes, I found myself with some free time and decided to spend it with my two favorite people," he said wryly, raising his eyebrows in the most emphatic expression she had ever seen him make.

"What's the occassion?" she inquired lightly, shooting him a sly look as she turned and started setting the coffee pot to brewing. Turning and leaning back with her hands on the edge of the counter, she had a wide, easy smile on her face as she regarded her husband up and down. A look of abject horror suddenly settled on her face.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't even ask you if you were okay!" came her startled yelp as she leapt forward and began a series of pokes and prods as she gave him an extremely quick check-up. "The last time you came home you didn't even tell me you were hurt until I caught you in the bath with this huge mottled bruise on your-"

"Sakura."

She paused, her hands on his biceps as she looked at him, her green eyes wide with concern.

"I'm fine." came his slow reply, as he leaned in and kissed her, a surprisingly passionate kiss that caught her off-guard. It started off chaste enough, and suddenly he was nibbling on her lower lip and deepening the kiss. She placed her hands on his chest and gave him a slight push, backing away a little as she giggled, looking away as if trying to hide her blush.

"Sarada is right in the backyard! She can see us through the window if she were to look! Can you imagine how mortified she would be if she caught us making out like teenagers in the kitch-"

He silenced her with another kiss, although this one was just a gentle peck on the lips.

"I'll save it for later, then," he said, his eyes suddenly darkening as he looked into hers. And then he was back to normal, business as usual.

"I have to turn in my report. I was supposed to as soon as I returned, but I wanted to see you first." He headed out into the backyard.

The excited squeals of her daughter signaled his greeting, and Sakura found herself smiling, her eyes unfocused as she regarded the scene through the kitchen window. Sarada had wrapped her arms firmly around her father's waist, much to his alarm, and he stood there looking extremely unsure of himself as he gave her a gentle pat on the head. Suppressing a giggle, Sakura got out a frying pan and cracked a few eggs into it, scrambling them after they were already in the pan. As the eggs finished up, she opened the kitchen door and stuck her head out, interrupting the awkward family reunion.

"Sarada, leave your father alone, he's got to give his report and I've made breakfast," she called, preparing herself for her daughter's wrath. She continued before Sarada could even start. "He'll be home as soon as he's done, so you can harrass him later."

Appeased, the genin trotted in, grinning at her mother's total understanding of how she operated. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, she chattered about a mission she was going on today with her team and how she was nervous because she wanted to impress her sensei but she wasn't sure how. Sakura regarded her quietly and found herself recalling her own days of adolescence, when she too had a sensei she so badly wanted to impress but found herself unable. It was funny how these things almost seemed hereditary.

"I have to go or I'll be late," Sarada said as she got up suddenly, checking the clock on the kitchen wall. She smiled at her mother and, glancing both ways as if to make sure nobody was watching, gave her a quick hug before turning and running to the door, grabbing her pack off the entrance table as she passed- and then she was gone. The door shut and Sakura found herself alone.

 _I might as well do what I already had planned today,_ she figured, standing and giving a yawn before remembering her coffee. She took a few quick gulps, wincing as she realised how hot it was. Glancing at the time, she saw she was getting dangerously close to running late for her brunch with Ino and Hinata, whom she hadn't seen in what felt like years- while it had actually only been a week or two, she felt their absence sharply. She hopped in the shower and zoned out in the steam, humming to herself.

* * *

She found herself grinning as she slipped into the small restaurant Hinata had suggested. Although surprised by Hinata's sudden confidence, neither Ino nor Sakura had doubted her experience with fine restaurants, and so they had happily agreed. Relatively empty since it was before the typical lunch rush on a week day, Sakura found her group almost immediately and eagerly went to take a seat.

"You will not believe what happened today," she blurted out in her excitement as she sat down, promptly cutting off a story Ino had been telling.

"Sure, Forehead, go right ahead," the blond snapped, rolling her eyes. "What happened today?"

Dismissing Ino's typical attitude, the medic nin leaned forward conspirationally and glanced to each side as if to make sure they wouldn't be overheard. Hinata looked mildly stressed out by her presentation but Ino could sense that it was melodramatic.

"Sasuke! He came home for a surprise visit!" the pinkette squealed, unable to hide her glee. Her friends beamed, happy to see her happy and glad to hear that Sasuke had finally returned. His last visit had been roughly two years ago.

"I'm so happy for you!" Hinata said in that gentle way of hers, her kind smile warming Sakura's heart.

"Yeah, glad to hear he remembered he has a wife and child," Ino bit out, narrowing her eyes as she looked into her friend's green ones.

Sakura sighed but was not surprised. She knew very well how Ino felt about Sasuke's continued absence from the village and his family, especially since it was peacetime and there was no good reason any nin should be gone for so long. Temporarily silenced for lack of response, she glanced out the window at passersby, allowing her mind to wander for a moment, though she was abruptly snapped back into the conversation as she heard Ino speak up again.

"Listen, Sakura, I'm glad he's back, I am," Ino was saying, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. "I just wish you would tell him how hard it is for you."

"It's just... I knew what I signed up for, you know?" she sighed, leaning her chin onto her fist as she gazed despondently into the distance. "I don't want to make things any harder for him than they already are." She was, of course, referring to his missing nin status during their adolescence, and his eventual discomfort as he returned home to the village he had once so intently sought to destroy.

"While it's important to keep his feelings in mind," Hinata added, "you can't forget that your feelings are your number one priority. Raising a child is hard, and I can't imagine having to do it alone." She rested her hand upon her pregnant belly, burgeoning with she and Naruto's second child.

"How old is Boruto now?" Sakura asked with a small smile, always happy to see how great family life was treating her friends. It wasn't fair to take it out on them that she wasn't having such a great time.

"He's three," the pale-eyed woman responded, returning her friend's smile. "Naruto is disappointed because he was hoping for another son, but I'm glad we'll be welcoming a daughter into our lives soon."

Ino and Sakura both nodded in agreement. Neither of the two wanted more children, but the excitement in Hinata's manner was almost contagious.

Their server appeared and happily took their orders. Enjoying each other's company and their meals, the time seemed to fly by as they caught up.

"I hate to have to go, but I have an doctor's appointment today," Hinata broke the news gently, sincere in her apologetic attitude.

"No, of course!" both Ino and Sakura chorused. They looked at each other and smiled. Some things never changed.

As they paid their bills and gathered their things, they exchanged pleasantries and goodbyes as they waved each other off, all of them headed in different directions- Hinata her appointment, Ino to her hospital shift, and Sakura back to her home, eager to come up with an amazing dinner in celebration for her husband's return.

She made her way down the street at a leisurely pace, only halfway paying attention to her surroundings. She was quickly startled back to reality as she stumbled into somebody, immediately leaping back and bowing as she apologised profusely. It was only when the stranger responded that she realized that she knew them.

"Ah, Sakura," came a familiar voice, that of a well-known jounin. "Don't worry about it, although I must admit I'm a bit worried that you're losing your touch."

The medic nin narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips, giving her old sensei a very firm glare.

"As if," she responded in a distracted way, still caught up with the joy of Sasuke being home. "I'm just distracted. Some of us have important things going on in our lives." Spying a very familiar orange novel in Kakashi's hand, she added, "Things that aren't text-based erotica." If he was at all concerned at her jibe, he didn't show it.

"Well, I can't say you're wrong." He considered this with a contemplative look, a hand on his chin. After a moment, he brightened up, a familiar eye crinkle visible. "Regardless, I'm always glad to see my favorite ex-student, regardless of how angry she may be at me."

She fixed him with an expasperated stare, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Lifting her wrist to glance at her watch, she saw that she would need to get going if she wanted to have ample time to prepare a dinner.

"I'm always glad to see my favorite ex-sensei, too," the pinkette responded, giving him a smile. "I'm sorry I don't have time to talk, but maybe you can stop by for dinner sometime? Sarada is always talking about how she wants to learn your Chidori, although I swear if you actually teach her, I'll..." She trailed off, catching herself blathering.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go," she called, giving him a friendly wave before turning and continuing on her way.

Kakashi lifted his hand in farewell and left it up long after she had disappeared.


	2. They Lifted The Drink to Our Mouths

Stepping back to admire the impressive spread she spent most of the afternoon preparing, Sakura dusted her hands off with satisfaction and untied her apron. Hanging it on its designated hook as she floated out of the kitchen, the kunoichi plopped herself onto the sectional in the living room to take a moment to breathe. Sarada would be home any minute, and she wasn't quite sure where Sasuke was, but she assumed he would be home before nightfall as well.

She smiled to herself as she heard the front door bang open behind her, her daughter trumpeting her arrival as she tossed her pack unceremoniously on the floor.

"Sarada, what did we say about leaving our things on the floor," Sakura admonished gently, but it was quite clear the young girl had no ears for anything except for conversation about today's mission.

"It was so cool- We've never had a mission like this before, we were escorting somebody- I mean- Okay, it wasn't very far, but- So there was this little village we had to go to-" A bundle of energy, the genin kept interrupting herself as she struggled to get the story out, eventually stopping to make a much-needed deep breath. Sakura gave her an encouraging pat on the head, ruffling her hair a little, something Sarada hated. She fixed her mother with a firm glare, much akin to the one Sakura had employed earlier that day, her onyx eyes flashing as she thought of how to respond.

Suddenly she was gone with a poof, having used a replacement jutsu to switch her body with a book off of the coffee table. Sakura was impressed. She had seen the hand signs, of course, but she was still proud of her daughter's excellent development when it came to ninjutsu. She had inherited her mother's iron chakra control, something Sakura would never let Sasuke forget, since he was so fond of preening about the Sharingan.

Sakura shut the door Sarada had forgotten to close behind her as she went out onto her front porch, curious as to where her husband could be. The sun was just beginning to set, so there was still plenty of time before nightfall, but the pinkette found herself wondering what he could possibly be doing. _It seems like there's always something more important than spending time with his family,_ she grumbled to herself, a frown crossing her face. She gave her head a slight shake and returned indoors, just in time to hear her daughter in the kitchen squealing over the feast she had prepared. The food would get cold if they waited too long.

"Let's go ahead and start to eat- I don't want the food to go cold, and I'm sure your father will be home shortly," she said confidently to Sarada, feigning good cheer as she loaded up her plate and sat down. The genin was none the wiser to her mother's foul mood, happily chattering in detail about her mission earlier that day while pausing every now and then to praise the food. Sakura seized the opportunity while Sarada was demonstrating a very complicated (and most likely exaggerated) series of interactions to glance out the kitchen window, checking the sun's position. A cold feeling began to settle in her stomach as she realised she had no idea when Sasuke would be back.

* * *

The kunoichi found herself jolted awake as a weight appeared suddenly on her bed, partially on top of her feet and sprawled out.

"Hello," a voice mumbled, likely face-down on the duvet and reaking of alcohol.

She stared for a moment, unable to believe what she was bearing witness to. She took a deep breath.

"Are you just now getting home?" she asked in a far nicer tone than was true to her mood, trying to glance through the curtains over the window to see what time it was. It had to be late, or very early, and she was none too pleased.

"Yeah," Sasuke mumbled again, struggling to sit up and fix his wife with a smile. _He's tanked,_ she thought, incredibly disappointed. This wasn't the first time this had happened.

"Okay, let's get you into bed," she said sweetly, switching into medic mode as she hauled him up into bed, tucking him in and standing back to survey her work. He was out cold. A sigh escaped her lips.

Finding herself unwilling to go back to sleep, the kunoichi turned and went downstairs, slipping on her sandals and grabbing a cardigan as she went out the front door, closing it softly behind her so as to not wake Sarada. She was honestly impressed she had slept through her father coming home, but then, she had been pretty tired after her mission. Regarding the moon briefly, she determined it was roughly around 2AM. She supposed it could have been worse.

Thankfully Konoha was not known for its quiet nights- while she lived in a primarily residential district, she was close enough to a pleasure district to meander over and not have gone too far out of her way. She saw a few people she knew here and there, catching up with friends, knocking back a few drinks, enjoying the time they had together. Not wanting to attract too much attention, she ducked into a seedy-looking bar that she had sworn she'd never seen before. Taking a seat at the far end with plenty of space between herself and other patrons, she ordered a gin and tonic, feeling like she deserved a little something to take the edge off.

"I don't think I've seen you here before," came a voice from right behind her, nearly causing her to leap out of her seat. Feigning calm, she turned and regarded Kakashi warily.

"Fancy seeing you here," she replied flatly, glad that her drink arrived at that exact moment. She knocked back a drink and gestured for him to sit.

The copy ninja watched her for a moment, his expression unreadable, before placing his own order for a glass of whiskey as he sat down. Sakura nodded her approval. He raised his eyebrow, as if to say "who asked you?" and she found herself giggling. Wow, it had been awhile since she'd had a drink.

"I don't think I want to know," he remarked, gesturing to indicate his ex-student sitting on a bar stool, clearly getting sloshed. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic," she drawled, her speech slowing as the alcohol in her system started to take effect. "It's not like I never go out." The second the words were out of her mouth she realised they were incredibly untrue. She hadn't been out in literal years. Having emptied her glass, she waved at the bartender to indicate another one.

He shot her his signature eye crinkle and rubbed the back of his head, glancing around, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. She couldn't blame him. She knew she must look ridiculous, but one can only care so much after one's husband has come home, drunk out of his mind and clearly without a care in the world about seeing his family after two years of being away. But who was counting?

As if sensing her dismay, Kakashi set a hand gently on her shoulder, obviously offering what little comfort he could. She sighed and leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder without thinking, nursing her second drink. He froze, hesitating, and then put an arm around her.

"I'm sure whatever it is, it will be better after getting some sleep," the jounin said gently.

* * *

Sakura woke well after the sun had risen, her head pounding. She had no memory of getting home. She blinked in irritation as she saw a shadow over the bed as a figure stood at the foot of it.

"What?" she grumbled, rolling over to shield her eyes from the light with her pillow.

"Where were you last night?" Sasuke demanded softly, his voice taught with barely-concealed rage. The kunoichi sat up slowly, staring at him in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" she demanded, the words flying from her mouth as she practically spat them at him. "What does it matter? It's not like you were in any hurry to see us."

He was suddenly right in front of her, his face a few inches from her own. Her eyes widened a fraction, surprised at the speed and sense of urgency.

"I asked. Where you were." he demanded softly. Looking into his eyes, something was there that left a cold feeling at the very core of her being. They glinted harshly.

"I went for a walk after I helped you into bed," she whispered. She suppressed a shiver.

He moved away, standing back as he turned to go downstairs, an expression akin to satisfaction briefly visible on his face.

"I've made breakfast," he informed her as if nothing had happened. He closed the door behind him as he left, leaving a very disconcerted Sakura sat in bed. It was only then that she realised he had made no explanation for whatever he had been doing last night. _What was going on?_


	3. So We Drank It

After allowing her to imbibe a bit more before realising he had let her have too much, the Copy Ninja had carried Sakura home. She had promptly fallen asleep on his back, snoring gently over his shoulder. While the situation was quite a pain, he couldn't help but allow a small smile to appear on his face. A ninja was only ever this peaceful in their sleep.

He had crept into her second-floor bedroom through the window, pausing to take note of Sasuke's presence. He had thought that was a little odd, but also decided that that wasn't his business and gently set his old student down, haphazardly tossing part of the duvet over her. Sasuke had let out a loud snore and shifted slightly, his mouth falling open. Kakashi remembered his nose giving a disdainful twitch as he smelled the alcohol on his breath. However, that still wasn't his business, and he had departed post-haste.

* * *

Despite his commitment to Sakura and Sasuke's love life being none of his business, the Copy Nin couldn't help but think about it. He was a very curious person, damn it, and surely it was entirely fair to wonder what the hell was going on when he found the kunoichi voted "The Least Likely To Go Out" at a seedy bar in her pajamas in the middle of the night. He ran a hand over his face in frustration. His life must be really boring to be so obsessive over somebody else's.

He took another sip of his whiskey and glanced around the room, wondering what he could get up to tonight. This was the point of the night where he would usually befriend some very drunk and easily impressed woman and go home with her, but he wasn't quite feeling up to that tonight. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms behind his head as he regarded the ceiling, wondering what he was doing. He was finding himself in this position more and more lately, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why- he was having a hard time adjusting to peacetime after his long and violent history. He had many ghosts that followed him and plenty of demons he needed to drown, and it was much easier to notice them when intense missions were few and far between. He swore and killed the drink, standing up to go.

Maybe it was a good thing to be interested in other people's lives- at least it kept his mind off of his own.

* * *

He awoke to summons to the Hokage's office. Stifling a sigh, he dressed quickly and ate a swift breakfast of a single banana, which he only possessed at all because another of his old students had insisted upon giving the jounin something "healthy".

 _"Hinata said to make sure you took these, and to not take no for an answer," the blond had explained, pressing the bag into Kakashi's hand and laughingly rubbing the back of his head. Naruto had sobered, a somber expression crossing his face. "But really," he said in a tone that could almost be described as urgent, "you need to make sure you're taking care of yourself." And with that he had given his old sensei a friendly wave and departed in a cloud of smoke, leaving the famed Copy Ninja at a loss for words._

The nin was surprised to find himself already at the tower, having lost himself in thought for the entire journey there. This did not surprise him- he was certain he could get to Hokage Tower in his sleep from muscle memory alone.

He waved to the orderly at the front desk and made his way up the stairs, pausing before the office door and giving a few quick raps.

"Come in," came the muffled response. Kakashi followed the command, carefully closing the door behind him. What appeared to be an impossibly large pile of paperwork entirely covered one end of the desk, with the other offering a very small space where Naruto was currently sitting face-down. "I have a mission for you," he said to the desk, offering a scroll. Kakashi took it and gave it a quick read, skimming through what few details there were.

"It's going to be a bit long-term," Naruto continued, finally sitting up and giving his old sensei a weary smile. "But it isn't dangerous. I just need you to function as security for the daimyo's liaison to Kumogakure while a trade agreement is being worked out. I'm trusting you with this because you're the best actor I know, and we're going to need somebody who can stifle their real feelings- or rather, doesn't have any."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow in inquiry, ignoring the jibe.

"The daimyo has a very, ah... Forward daughter," the Hokage said uncomfortably, shifting in his seat. "But the daimyo himself has openly declared a hit on anyone who entertains her in a less than family-friendly way. It's a very strange situation. Anyway, since you are also the least friendly person I know, I figured you would be a perfect fit."

The Copy Ninja stood silently for a moment.

"Well, I can't argue with that," he said, his eye crinkling in a smile as he accepted the mission. "Anything for my favorite ex-student." Rolling his eyes, Naruto waved his hand, indicating that the jounin was dismissed. Kakashi would need to head out the following morning, so this evening would be used to prepare. Not that he needed time to prepare- he literally never unpacked.

Lifting a hand in farewell, he vanished in a sudden cloud of smoke as he transported himself back home.

* * *

There was a bit of fog marring the otherwise perfect morning, although Kakashi personally preferred the extra cover. As he reached the gate with the rest of the caravan, he found himself looking back a little more often than usual, as if he was going to miss his home. Of course, he always missed his home a little, but this was more intense- _Maybe I really am getting old,_ he thought grumpily, assuming old age was making him sentimental. As the caravan began to move forward, officially exiting the village, Kakashi took one last quick glance, committing the view to memory.

It was going to be a long year.


	4. Or We Can Blame It On Our Bodies

The Copy Ninja scrubbed a hand through his hair, a weight lifting from his chest as the village gate came into view in the distance. He almost smiled. Glancing at the caravans next to him, he fell back and switched to the other side, remaining on guard regardless of how little danger had actually been presented in the entire year he had been gone.

He heard shouting up ahead and leapt into the trees beside the dirt road to observe, curious as to what was happening and ever vigilant. It turned about to be nothing- one of the horses drawing the wagons had suddenly become quite fed up and was putting on a show. It was soon subdued. Kakashi returned to his original position.

The visit itself had been... lowkey, to say the least. While the daimyo's daughter had, indeed, been very forward, and seemed especially interested in the jounin, Kakashi had easily evaded her and maintained a polite, if somewhat curt, relationship. The most notable interaction was when she had tried to disguise herself as a servant and entered his room which, of course, did not work. He found himself chuckling at the thought. The poor girl had looked so embarassed after being found out immediately, although he couldn't help but feel as if she deserved it. She had been subdued after that, her antics incredibly lackluster comparatively, although she never gave up entirely.

Looking up and surprised to find himself already at the village gate, he gave another very small chuckle at how easily he lost himself in silly memories. As he raised a hand in greeting to Izumo and Kotetsu, he turned to communicate with the official leader of the caravan.

"Thank you for your service," the man, who was rather short and obviously intimidated by the Copy Ninja, said crisply, giving a vague sort of wave that Kakashi assumed meant that he was dismissed.

"Of course. It was an honor," he replied before bowing to the daimyo's carriage, even though the curtains were shut and he was pretty sure it would not be seen. The leader gave him a disdainful look and turned away, gesturing for the caravan to move along. Kakashi found himself being left behind, and so he entered the gate and approached the guards.

"Yo," he said, hand raised in a greeting as he walked up, his other hand on the strap of his pack.

The two raised equally lazy greetings and waved for him to enter. Giving a nod, he entered his beloved village, feeling somewhat nostalgic after having been gone for a year. _Maybe I'm getting too old for longterm missions_ , he mused, though there was little chance he would actually stop taking them. He made his way to the epitaph and stood in his customary spot, gazing at the names of his fallen comrades and thanking them for their blessing and protection on his journey. He specifically thanked Rin for keeping the daimyo's daughter in check.

Feeling somehow fulfilled, the shinobi gave a slight bow and turned to journey to his apartment, which was sure to be incredibly dusty.

* * *

Brushing her hair out of her eyes, Sakura carefully maneuvered a hand glowing green with healing chakra across her ribs where a large, dark bruise was slowly forming. Letting out an audible sigh of relief as the bruise faded, the kunoichi slumped comfortably for a moment, enjoying the sudden freedom from pain. She snapped back to reality and sat up straight, stretching to the left and the right to make sure everything was in good working order, although there was little to no chance it wouldn't be. She was, after all, Tsunade's student.

Her green eyes snapped to the door of her bedroom where she was currently seated upon the bed, her sudden focus visible as she slowly stood up, her gaze remaining intently upon the door.

She had heard something.

Sure, it could have been anything, but she had a feeling it wasn't that simple. Her brief analysis was soon interrupted as the door was thrown open, her beloved husband swiftly entering the room as if he intended to catch her in the act.

He was, however, unable to do so, as she was not doing anything wrong.

This bothered him.

"Been sitting around all day?" he inquired in a calm, even tone, his dark eyes somehow darkening even further as they met his wife's green gaze. He had not seemed to have taken into account the fact that it was only 10AM, and Sakura had just seen Sarada off to training after preparing breakfast for her, which Sasuke himself had witnessed. Sakura dismissed this line of thought and gave a wary smile, though she tried very hard to hide the part about it that was wary.

"Of course not! After I finished the cleaning up after breakfast I came up here to take a quick shower," she explained calmly, carefully. "Since Sarada has been so independent lately, she insisted I start getting out of the house more, so I let Naruto know to put me back on the missions roster."

Sasuke gave her a very long look.

"And you didn't think to tell me any of this?"

"Oh, no, I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind. And you did just get home last night, so it's not as if there's been a whole lot of time to tell you." The pinkette immediately regretted that last barb as the Uchiha approached her ominously. He reached out and grabbed her upper arm, a smile upon his face, appearing to be completely calm and rational when in actuality he was applying enough force to her arm to potentially fracture bone. Sakura acknowledged this warily and ignored the pain, a smile fixed upon her face.

"Of course, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she continued as if nothing was amiss. "That being said, though, I'm going to be late and I still need to take a shower... If that's okay."

Sasuke released her and stepped back. He nodded once.

"Okay, thanks," Sakura said in a cheerful voice, as if it wasn't weird that she had to ask permission to shower. The smile remained fixed on her face until after she had retreated into the master bathroom and had the door firmly closed behind her, where her face fell into the natural expression of anguish as the spot her husband had grabbed on her arm throbbed. She quickly healed it and stepped into the shower, taking a deep breath and willing herself to be strong.


End file.
